The Rifleman
"Welcome to the McCain Ranch"
'Sporting Chance'
Episode 128
Micah was out in front of the stage depot when the stage came in. This British gentleman got off the stage and when he saw Micah's badge he walked up to Micah and introduced himself. He told him his name was Jeremy Pennebroke. He said he was from England and he was here to kill "The Rifleman." 
He was a maker of fine rifles and he was here to enhance his reputation. With that Micah grabbed Pennebroke by the arm and led him to his office. Pennebroke wanted to know what was going on, he hadn't done anything. Micah told him that when he got off the stage he told him he was going to kill his best friend that was enough. "Best friend.....oh I am sorry about that. Of course he'll have every opportunity to defend himself," said Pennebroke. Micah had noticed that I had just rode into town. Pennebroke looked to see what Micah was looking at. When he saw me get my rifle out of the scabbard he knew right away who I was. "Upon my word! That's him, isn't it? That gun.....the rifle with the firing ring!" Said Pennebroke. Micah took him in the office and set him down. He then called to me and ask if he could see me.
He introduced me to Pennebroke. He was pleased to meet "The Rifleman" himself. Micah told Pennebroke to tell me why he was here. He felt there was no rush. "He said he's going to kill you!" Said Micah. I was some what surprised. I laughed and asked him if this was some kind of a joke. He said he was truly sorry and realized this was in bad taste but that he had no other choice. I asked him how he planned on doing this and why. He then showed me his rifle he had made. Now I needed to know why. He came all this way to kill me, I asked him what he had against me. He said my death would be his salvation. He said he came from a wealthy family of arms manufacturers. He said he wanted to specialize, he was unable to conform. They called him a crackpot. He wanted to show them. "Your reputation is formable, but mine shall be even more so after I....." Micah finished his sentence for him. "After you kill him. They'd call you a murderer." "I said it would be fair!" Said Pennebroke. I told him I had no intention of fighting him. He insisted. He said it was important to him. I told him he'd have to settle his problem some other way. Micah told him he heard they needed a gunsmith in Las Cruces. "Thank you Constable.....but no! I create guns I do not prepare them! Such a menial position would not earn me the funds I require. Killing 'The Rifleman' is the only thing that will do that!" He wanted to be known as the man who dispatched Lucas McCain. He would then have the money he needed to go into business and make rifles. "Don't you think you’re over looking 
something? Suppose I kill you?" He never thought of that. But if that was the case he wouldn't need his rifle anymore and was hoping I would accept it. My answer was still no! "Please," said Pennebroke. "Alright.....on one condition." I said. I told Micah to bring him out to the ranch tomorrow morning and we would have a shooting match. He didn't think that would prove anything. I told him he might just change his mind. He agreed. He said a spot of tea and a hot bath would do him some good; he then left for the hotel. "What next?" Ask Micah. "Well a spot of beer would be most refreshing now, don't you think Constable?" I said with 'my best' British accent. We laughed.
The next day Micah brought Pennebroke to our ranch. I had told Mark about him. He was surprised to see what Pennebroke looked like. Almost as surprised as Pennebroke was when he found out I had a son. He never pictured me as a family man. He found it distressing.
First we shot at some targets on a tree. We both got 3 dead center and 3 inside. Then Mark threw two tin cans in the air for Pennebroke and I to shot at. We both got 6 out of 6. Then Micah and Mark lined up bottles on a downed tree. We had out backs towards the bottles. Given the signal we, at the same time, turned and fired. There was one bottle left standing. It was Pennebroke's. 'First miss in three matches. Pretty good I'd say that's, but not good enough. Appears Mr. McCain takes it!" Said Micah. I was willing to forget the whole matter but Pennebroke wasn't. He wasn't about to back out. After all it was just practice, so he said. "Look Mr. Pennebroke....."I don't condone killing for the sake of killing in any form.
If you do, find someone else." "Mr. McCain! Can I assume you are what they say.....'backing out'?" That hit a nerve. I walked up to Pennebroke and said....."Call it whatever you want." "Micah.....Mark and I have work to do.....would you escort Mr. Pennebroke back to North Fork?"
You know that would never happen. It's just that....." "It's just what, son?" "It's just that.....I think you ought to do something." "Do I have to kill a man to save face, gain people's respect? If I do son, I don't want it! Besides what good would it do you or me if Pennebroke got off the first shot?" "I see what you mean. But that won't happen," said Mark. "No because I'm not gonna give him the chance." "You mean your just gonna wait him out?" "I'll wait but I'll also talk to him to see if I can get him to change his mind." "Yeah ya' know how far that'll git ya'!" Said Mark. He then left for school.
"Is it true.....McCain won't take it up?" "There's nothing to take up, it's all over, why don't you just get out of town?" Said Micah. "It's a free country Marshal. There's no law against me being here.....is there?" He laughed and then went into the saloon.
that Chuley had a side arm and he was good with it. He said he was proficient in all guns, in his business he had to be. Chuley told Pennebroke he had an extra gun in his saddle bag.....he'd be glad to loan it to him. Pennebroke told us if we were hungry we should go ahead without him, he'd only be a moment. 
Luisi also appeared in the soap operas "Days of Our Lives" (1965) and "Another World" (1964). I best remember him in "Murphy's Law" as Ed Reineke with Charles Bronson - he was a cop gone bad! He also was in "Norma Rae" and "Cat Ballou."
